Heart of Gold: The art of Empty Bowls for empty bellies

So our plans for the weekend are pretty chill - a little Wii, maybe catch a movie, hit Artopia or get a tattoo...

But some Houstonians prefer to go the more "productive" route, like Albert Goldreich who is on a mission from the Great Kiln in the Sky to break the world's record for continuous pottery throwing (which is this, definitely not this).

What does that mean? While we're still bumbling around our kitchen tomorrow morning looking for the box of Cheerios, Albert will be well on his way to spending 24 continuous hours making bowls on his potter's wheel. For 24 hours. Straight. 24. Yeah. The estimated 300 bowls from this labor of love will go to the Empty Bowls fundraiser that benefits the Houston Food Bank at the Lawndale Center and Houston Contemporary Craft Center on March 21st.

If you're in the mood to be hypnotized by spinning clay (and want to donate a can or two of Red Bull), drop by 18 Hands Gallery (249 W. 19th St.) to watch Albert throw from 9am today, Saturday January 24th, to 9am Sunday January 25th. Who knew that playing with dirt could do so much good?

Photo thanks to Flickr user antware